Improvement in washing-machines



1.11. CONAWAY.

Washing-Machine No, 168,880, Patented 0ct.19,l875

7 Jay! WITNESSES ".FETEBS. PHOTO-LITHGGRAPNER, WASHINGTON D c,

NITED STATES PATENT QFFIo;

JOHN HENRY OONAWAY, OF NELSONVILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,880, dated October 19, 1875; application file October 2, 1875.

, To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY OONA- WAY, of Nelsonville, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a top view of my improved washing-machine. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same, partly in section, through the line w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the sash, the lever being shown in section through the line y 3 Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved washing-machine which shall be so constructed as to wash the clothes by rubbing them in a manner analogous to hand-rubbing, which will enable less or more pressure to be applied to them, as may be required, and which will enable any desired part of the clothes to be rubbed.

The invention consists in the combination of the curved stationary rubber, the curved adjustable pivoted rubber, provided with the lever, the sash, provided with the rubber rollerand the clamping-bar, and the operatinglever, provided with the adjustable balancingweight, with each other and with the sudsbox, as hereinafter fully described.

A is the suds-box, which is made with a flat bottom, with vertical ends, and with its sides slightly inclined inward. B O are two rubbing-boards, which are, made in the form of segments of hollow cylinders of large diameters, and the convex sides of which are faced with corrugated zinc, in the manner of hand rubbing-boards. The segments B O are placed in the suds-box A, with their convex sides toward each other, and the ends of the rear 'rubber B are rigidly secured to the ends of the suds-box A. To the upper corners of the forward segment 0 are attached pivots D, which work in notches in the upper edges of the ends of the suds-box A, where they are secured in place by buttons E, pivoted to said edges. Two or more notches are formed in the edges of the suds-box A, to receive the pivots D, so that the rubber O can be adjusted nearer to or farther from the rubber B, as the size or thickness of the clothes being operated upon may require. To one corner of the rubber G is rigidly attached a curved lever or handle, F, which the person using the machine holds in her hand, so. that she can apply more or less pressure to the clothes, as may be desired. G is a frame or sash, which is made of such a size as to fit into the sudsbox A between the rubbers B C. To and between the lower ends of the end bars of the sash G is pivoted a small shaft or roller, H, which is covered with india-rubber, and over which the clothes to be washed are hung. The clothes to be washed are clamped upon the rubber rollerH by a bar, I, the ends of which, or tenons formed upon said ends, slide in longitudinal grooves in the inner sides of the end bars of the sash Gr. To the bar I is pivoted a toothed bar, J, with the teeth of which engages a button or other catch, K, attached to a cross-bar of the sash G. The bar J may be made without teeth, if desired, and secured, when adjusted, by a set-screw. The top crossbar of the sash G is pivoted at its ends to and between the upper-end of the end bars of said sash, and to its center is attached a long lever, L, which is pivoted to a standard, M, attached to the rear side of the suds-box A. The forward end of the lever L projects in front of the machine, so that it may be conveniently reached and operated. The rear end of the lever L projects, and has a weight, N, attached to it to balance the weight of the sash G, and of the clothes attached to said sash. The weight N is secured to the lever L by a pin or set-screw, so that it may be moved forward or back, according as a less or greater weight of clothes may be attached to the sash G. O is a shelf attached to the upper rear side of the suds-box A, and to the standard M, to receive clothes, soap, or any other desired article.

In using the machine, the clothes are folded and attached to the sash G in the manner hereinbefore described. The operator then grasps the lever L with one hand, and moves the sash G up and down, and at the same time grasps the lever F with the other hand, and applies any desired pressure to said clothes. By turning parts of the clothes up over the bar I, other parts may be exposed and rubbed. After the exposed parts of the clothes have been sufficiently rubbed, the bar I' is loosened and the clothes are moved to expose the parts that had previously been clamped between the bar I and the rubber roller H.

With this construction the rubber roller H presses the clothes against and into the corrugations of the rubbers B G with a yielding pressure, while the pivoted rubber 0 enables any desired pressure to be applied to said clothes, making the operation "cry similar to hand-rubbing.

Having thus described myinvention, Iolairn as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- JOHN HEnRY OONAWAY.

Witnesses:

S. U. POSTON, JARDEN RUSSELL. 

